When the kiddos start to get bored with venturing out to the same old playgrounds, check out some of these East Bay playground hotspots to re-spark their enthusiasm for outdoor fun. With everything from pirate ships to castles, farm animals to climbing walls, look no farther than just outside your backdoor to keep the little ones entertained for hours.

Oakland leaders have agreed to eliminate 105 city positions to fill a $28 million budget gap caused by the loss of state redevelopment money. However, last minute negotiations were able to save popular programs from deep cuts.